After making this origami kusudama, designed by Ekaterina Lukasheva, I have a special respect for people who work with miniatures! For this model, I had some double-sided paper that was left over from a previous origami modular that I had done. So I decided to use that paper.

The size of those squares were 2 inches. Since this kusudama required paper in the ratio 1:2, I cut each of the squares in half which resulted in 30 pieces of 1 inch by 2 inches. And then proceeded with this kusudama.

While making the individual modules was quite simple, assembly was a real challenge, given the small sizes of the folded modules. Patience is of the essence and of course, a toothpick! I finally ended up gluing the modules to ensure that they did not come undone while assembling them.

Overall, an interesting kusudama. But I will think twice if I have to fold this one again! 😆😆

Model Details:

Model: Apricot

Creator: Ekaterina Lukasheva

Book: Modern Kusudama Origami

Author: Ekaterina Lukasheva

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Rectangle in ratio 1:2

Paper Size: 1 inch by 2 inches

Model Size: ~2 inches in diameter

Modules: 30

Way back in 2010, I had tried out Mette Pederson's Mette rings - the 3D version. Mainly because they are made from 12 units, instead of the 18 modules needed for the 2D version.

In recent days, I decided to try out the 2D version. The individual modules are easy to fold, so is the assembly. Assembly is without glue and is really solid, in the sense that there is no way it will come undone by itself.

In addition to trying out this model, I have another project in mind - making a ring of rings, using 20 mette rings. I have decided to go ahead with a gradation of colours starting from violet and going up to pink. That mean, I need to fold a total of 360 modules! Which will make it my biggest project since I started my blog! A big goal, and one that I hope to complete by this year end.

Model Details:

Model: Mette's Ring

Creator: Mette Pederson

Book: Mette Units

Author: Mette Pederson

Difficulty Level: Low Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 3 inches

Diagram: Mette Units

Modules: 18

The Gekkin kusudama started off as a way to use some leftover pieces of squares that I had mistakenly cut out for my last kusudama, Kusudama Estrelle Flor. While I needed only 15 squares of each colour, I had incorrectly calculated and cut 30 squares. So I ended up with the extra squares which I did not want to waste. 

So the Gekkin kusudama came in very handy. I used 10 dark purple, 10 lavender and 10 white squares to make this very pretty kusudama. A tassel and some beads and I ended up with an attractive ornament! 

The modules are pretty easy to fold and assembly is also straight forward. Since I wanted to make it into an ornament, I glued the joints. The curls add a very nice touch to the kusudama, giving the impression of a bouquet, I thought.

Model Details:

Model: Gekkin 

Creator: Maria Vahrusheva

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Paper Ratio: Square

Paper Size: 3 inches 

Model Size: ~5 inches in diameter

Modules: 30

Diagram: Mediafire

Tutorial: Youtube

After the strenuous coiled or root-woven tray from my last post, I was more than happy to try out this acorn box made from black newspaper tubes.

I have been trying out various acrylic colours which will completely blot out any print in my newspaper tubes. For the lighter colours, I have no choice but to use white or mostly-white tubes. Otherwise the print is very obviously visible and I just don't like it. As a consequence, I find that I am left out with a  lot of tubes that have newspaper print/coloured pictures on them.

One way to go is to use them as-is and weave my boxes with the print and pictures visible in the end product. I find that there are a lot of people who like this and I have had some orders where I have been specifically asked to use the newspaper tubes without any colours added.

On the other hand, I have also been experimenting with dark colours that I can use on these tubes, to hide the print, and the very best colour is, of course, black. Other than black, dark blue, prussian blue, deep red and dark green also work well.

So for my acorn box, I have used black tubes to form the base and the lid. The base was woven with a form, which was a plastic bowl of the required size. I tried out a 3-strand weaving, which I liked very much. The lid started off as a flat plate, with the edges turned down to convert into a lid. I added the little knob at the very end.

Model Details:

Model: Black Acorn Box

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Tutorial (making newspaper tubes): Youtube

The Estrella Flor Kusudama is a modular origami created by Erny. Like my previous post, the Mt. Fuji Kusudama, the essential shape of this model is also a sonobe. And to form the sonobe modules, a total of 30 squares of paper is required. It works best if we use 15 squares of 1 colour and 15 squares of a second contrasting colour. That will bring out the flower pattern very well.

Each of the 15 squares are cut into 2 rectangles of ratio 1:2. So finally, to make the model, we will be folding 60 modules. 30 of these modules will form the flower shape and the other 30 will form the sonobe shape. The flower modules are slotted into the sonobe modules before starting the assembly. While the task seems quite daunting, the folding is not very difficult, though a little time consuming. Assembly is the usual sonobe assembly - 3 pyramids grouped in clusters of 5.

I quite like the colour choice I had made - dark purple and a light violet (or would that be mauve?) The final model is not too large, since I had used 7.5 cms squares. I decided to make it into a hanging ornament, so ended up with tassels and some beads to form the ornament.

Model Details:

Model: Kusudama Estrella Flor 

Creator: Erny

Difficulty Level: High Intermediate

Paper Ratio: 1:2

Paper Size: 3 inches by 1.5 inches

Model Size: ~4 inches in diameter

Modules: 60

Instructions: Folding in the air

Tutorial: Youtube

Recently I discovered a Youtube Origamist - Origami Kankichi. I later found out that he does have a blog and various other social media sites, but I prefer the youtube channel. Well, on his channel, he regularly posts tutorials on folding and assembling origami modulars. Most of this models are 30-unit assembly and of these, I especially like the sonobe variations - I have a particular fondness for sonobes. So after much deliberation, I decided to try out one of the sonobe variations that he has designed - the Mt. Fuji Kusudama.

The kusudama is a representation of Mt. Fujiyama in Japan. Naturally, it works best with blue and white paper. But, for me, the first time I saw this kusudama, I was reminded of Tomoko Fuse's Chrysanthemum Globe kusudama. So I decided to use a dark pink and white paper, to resemble a chrysanthemum covered mountain, I guess. Anyway, any contrasting colours should work out well for this kusudama.

The modular is made from 15 squares of dark pink and 15 squares of white origami paper. Each of the 15 squares are cut into 2 rectangles of ratio 1:2. So finally, to make the model, we will be folding 60 modules. 30 of these modules will form the mountain shape and the other 30 will form the sonobe base. The mountain modules are slotted into the sonobe bases before starting the assembly. While the task seems quite daunting, the folding is not very difficult, though a little time consuming. Assembly is the usual sonobe assembly - 3 pyramids grouped in clusters of 5.

Model Details:

Model: Mt. Fuji Kusudama  

Creator: Origami Kankichi

Difficulty Level: Low Intermediate

Paper Ratio: 1:2

Paper Size: 3 inches by 1.5 inches

Model Size: ~4 inches in diameter

Modules: 60

Tutorial: Youtube

One of the traditional methods of basket-weaving involves a technique called coiling. This technique combines a process of coiling materials such as grass and binding them together using flexible fibres.

The same process can be applied to tubes made from newspaper or magazines. Here the tubes are used in both the processes - they are wound and held together by other tubes. I first came across this technique of weaving in Pinterest and have since been fascinated by the method.

When I got an opportunity to try it out, I first attempted it using newspaper tubes. Needless to say, it wasn't much of a success! My coiling was loose and the tubes that held the coils together were not placed close enough to give a tight weave. And once you fail, even in something like craft work, it takes a lot of courage to get back on the proverbial horse, doesn't it?

So, after many months and with a lot of hesitation, I tried out this blue tray, in the shape of a leaf. The tubes are made from newspaper strips, around 10 mm in width and 260 mm in length, rolled around a 2mm skewer. I painted it prussian blue, since that was the colour I had in abundance! This time, since I knew what to expect, I was able to coil much better. Overall, it gave me much better results than my first attempt. The shaping is still a problem and that takes more practise I guess. On the whole, I am quite pleased with this attempt.

While this technique is more challenging than regular weaving, the result if much more pleasing. But I would not attempt this type of weaving unless I had a lot of time, because without doubt, it is much more time-consuming that the regular weaving that I do. This tray took me a good 3 days to complete! And that is just the coiling part. Time taken for rolling the tubes, painting and glazing the final product also needs to be considered.

Model Details:

Model: Coiled Blue Leaf Tray

Difficulty Level: Complex

Tutorial (making newspaper tubes): Youtube

Tutorial (coiling or root-weaving technique): Youtube